Seven Deadly Sins
by mizukiryu73
Summary: The Gate is a mercurial being, and its decisions are made only to its own standards. But they weren't going to complain that it decided to allow them a second chance.
1. Ouroborous

**Wrath**

Severus had always know that he was more likely to respond to verbal attacks with physical violence, but two things changed how little he remembered. One was the birth of his godson. The fact that he felt that Draco should be his _son_ was part of it, but Draco's ability to play with the shadows brought back the memories of the life they had lived. Two was the day Lily died and he met Harry. He knew that Lily had thought that Harry was a metamorpagus, but the minute he saw Harry, he knew the truth. But he also knew that he couldn't fight Dumbledore, so he just wished harry luck and hoped that Petunia got what was coming to her.

**Greed**

Fred and George were much more that twins, because they were the same being in two bodies. They always knew that they had once been two different Greeds, but this time they decided to channel their greed into something different – getting everyone to laugh and by their products.

They personally didn't care if the others were alive because all that mattered to them was their joke products.

**Pride**

Draco never saw Lucius as his father. No, his father was Wrath, and _Father_ was the creator. Severus understood, of course, and tried to make sure that Draco got away as often as he could manage.

The only one of the seven sins that Draco missed was Envy – the rest were so terribly boring and Wrath was the one who had dealt with them anyway.

**Sloth**

Neville ignored his relatives squawking that he was a squib. He really didn't care, they weren't his _family_ and he had no reason to work for them. He was just fine sitting and watching clouds, waiting until he met his family once again.

**Gluttony**

Hermione never wanted to be like she had been last time – useless and fat. While she still wanted to be with Lust-sama, she decided to turn her insatiable desire to devour to books – reading everything she could get her hands on. So she too waited until she could be reunited with her family.

**Lust**

Luna was exacting with her appearance. She, best out of all of them, knew the power of beauty. Unfortunately, her knowledge of her past life and the fact that she humored her parents with their insane ideas meant that most people thought she was crazy as well. But she knew that revenge was a dish best served cold – freezing at best – and her family – Envy and Gluttony in particular – would be more than willing to help her exact it.

**Envy**

Harry received all of his memories on that cold Halloween night. Luckily for Harry, Dumbledore never checked up on him. Because Harry suffered his "family's" actions for all of two weeks before he decided to leaving – after giving his "loving" "family" _exactly_ what they deserved. So, thirteen days after being dumped in the Dursley's doorstep, Harry stretched himself into something more appropriate and left to travel the new world he inhabited, and destroyed the Dursley's precious normality as he went.

**Wands **

Fred and George weren't going to use an inherited wand that wouldn't even work for them. So they sneaked off the to the wand shop in Knockturn Alley (where the others would eventually go). Their wands were almost perfect twins, sharing as they did the same wood and core. Both were made of strangler fig and the core was the powdered claws of a dragon with a hoard as large as Gringotts Bank – the right for Fred and the left for George.

Draco, of course, got the standard Ollivander's wand – which only barely worked – but Wrath almost immediately took him to the shop where he had gotten his true wand – that of bloodwood and Mackled Malaclaw vemon. Draco's wand, on the other hand, was maple and one of Argus's eyes.

Neville snuck off to the shop because, even if it was more _work_, he knew better that to work with a wand that didn't fit. His wand ended up being made from a branch of the Whomping Willow and Re'em blood.

Hermione, in a fit of pique, skived off of summer camp to get her second wand – because, really, there was no need for her to go anymore. Her wand was made of papyrus and sphinx hair.

Luna – who had managed to convince Dumbledore to let her come a year early – simply walked down Knockturn Alley. After all, if no one was going to ask her where she was going, why bother hiding? Her wand was made of apple and siren hair.

Harry strode down the dark alley without a care. That stupid wandmaker had forced him to take a horribly unacceptable wand of holly and phoenix feather, and there was no way Harry was going to use a wand that didn't work and was a sibling Voldemort's. Besides, the wand shop in Knockturn Alley was much better. He left with a _properly_ attuned wand of elder and selkie fur.

**Come Together**

They, naturally, all meet on the Hogwarts Express.

The Greeds meet Envy when helping Envy board the train. They ask in fake awe if he is Harry Potter, so he changes his appearance in annoyance and angrily retorts, "Of course you'd be interested in the famous person, Greeds-_chan_." The identical looks of shock on their faces made Envy smirk, an action which the Greeds then matched and replied, "Well then, we'll find you later, Envy-kun." Which, of course, they did.

The next meeting was between Lust and Envy, as Lust waltzed into his compartment and refused to budge. She then looks at Envy and informs him that he should have sent her letters. Envy's response is to mutter under his breath about forgetting how annoying Lust could be when she wanted something.

This meant that when the Greeds returned to talk to Envy – after ensuring that their annoying "little brother" didn't bother them – they also got to meet Lust. However, at the same moment Sloth and Gluttony were meeting. Sloth had "lost" his toad – not like he wanted it in the first place – and was "trying" to find it. gluttony was looking for her Lust-sama and ran, literally, into Sloth. After that, it was easy enough for Gluttony to convince Sloth-baka to help her find Lust. Whom they found, along with everyone else.

Pride was angrily wandering the train with his two annoying bookends looking for Harry Potter on his _father's_ orders, when he came across the compartment with the other Sins. So not only did he find Potter, he found his _family_. Waving the bookends to go retrieve any missing belongings, Pride sandwiched himself next to Envy and imparted to his family the information that Wrath was back at the castle as the Potion's Professor – a revelation that shocked the Greeds.

**Houses**

The Greeds were already in Gryffindor, of course, but only because they had threatened the hat three years ago and told it that they weren't sneaky enough for Slytherin.

Lust and Gluttony both go to Ravenclaw – Lust had already been planning to, and even without Gluttony's love of learning she would've followed her Lust-sama.

Sloth went to Hufflepuff – partly because no other house fit him, but also because he was completely loyal to those _he_ considered family.

Pride and Envy both went to Slytherin. To the Sins it was obvious that they would both go to a house that was known for its cunning and deception, but everyone else seemed incredibly shocked that Envy – or Harry potter, as they preferred – would go to the snake pit.

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><p>AN: This is based off of the manga, not either of the shows. I've read all of the manga, but only seen a little bit of the show. This is also becoming its own story in response to the poll, so I hope eveyone likes it! The song is Come Together by the Beatles.<p>

Wands: Wrath – The wood comes from an Australian Eucalyptus tree which has sap the color of blood (also, the heartwood of the tree is blood red) and I choose the core of Mackled Malaclaw venom because it makes one incredibly unlucky once it enters the bloodstream. (thank you My Ashland!)

Sloth – His wand just closely matched how he looks in the manga – Whomping Willow because in the manga he was like a _troll_ and acted a lot like the Willow as he attacked only when provoked and his core is Re'em's blood which increases ones strength when drunk.

Pride – I chose maple because it symbolizes balance and practicality, and Pride was very practical in the manga, and the Argus is from Greek myth and had one hundred eyes – which reminded me of Pride's shadows.

Lust – Apple is the wood of fertility and love, while sirens are another set of beings from Greek myth that lured sailors to death with their hauntingly beautiful songs.

Greeds – Strangler fig trees grow on other trees and survive by leeching nutrients from them, and the dragon claw should be obvious.

Gluttony – Her wand is a mix of her old and new life. Papyrus reeds were used in Egypt to make paper and sphinx have two aspects. In Egypt, they were guardians, while in Greece they were savage beasts who told riddles and devoured those who couldn't answer them. .

Envy – Elder has the meaning of death and transformation, while selkies are Irish mythological creatures who can shed their skin and transform from seal to human.

Don't forget to review!

~Sayanora!


	2. Havoc

Chapter Two – Havoc

**Hellions**

There was a reason why Father had never, and would have never, left all of the Sins together unsupervised for more than a few milliseconds. Unfortunately for the wizards, they had no such pre-warning about their eminent doom. Because while there had been glimpses of it in the twin's pranks, they were but two of the Sins and as such could cause only a fraction of the havoc. However, in the weeks and months following the arrival of the younger Sins at Hogwarts, the wizards began to realize what exactly they had just unleashed.

Three things contribute to the destruction the Sins cause. One, the Sins have no need for eight hours of sleep, because they can survive on less than one hour per night. Two, they have all lived a long time, and as such are _much _smarter than the average teenager (yes, that means Sloth too). Three, the Sins are, well, _sins._ All of these things combined mean that the Sins have lots of time on their hands, plenty of ideas of how to put that time to good use, and no morals to stop them from going overboard.

Well, let's just say, they made the Marauders look like amateurs.

**Schedules**

The Sins did go to class. It just didn't happen regularly.

After all, they had been patient in their other centuries long life, but this time they were young and human, and they didn't feel like wasting all their daylight hours just to go to a class filled with other disgusting little humans to learn things books and Wrath could teach them just as well. So, going to class, for the Sins, became more of a sign of extreme boredom than a sign of any desire to learn.

Besides, the Sins had plans. Yes, plans. Plans that would have every pureblood quaking in their dragonskin boots had the plans been common knowledge. Because the Sins had plans to shake up the wizarding world by finding ways to integrate muggle technology with magic. Because the Sins had plans to bring the wizarding world into the modern age. And most importantly of all, the Sins had plans to take over the wizarding world.

**Pranks**

The Greeds are the undisputed masters of pranking. They are the best of the best at planning, inventing, and implementing pranks, so the other Sins know exactly where to go if they are ever bored and looking for a show.

Wrath is the supplier and alibi. As he is still a teacher, he can gladly abuse that power to make all of the Sins detentions for missing classes be spent with him. Of course, none of the other teachers know that these "detentions" are usually spent booby trapping the castle.

Gluttony and Sloth are the secret-keepers. Despite the fact that their friendships with the others are well known, everyone acts as though they couldn't possibly be in on it. It doesn't seem to matter that one of them is a Hufflepuff who would die for his friends and the other the brightest, and most protective, Ravenclaw witch in her year.

Pride, Lust, and Envy are the distraction helpers. Besides the fact that Envy can look like whomever he wants, the three of them have perfected puppy-dog eyes. Armed with irresistibly cuteness and sliver tongues, the three of them can sweet talk any of the staff into believing their undeniable innocence. Of course, they can also sweet talk the majority of the school into following them right into a prank – no matter how many times they do it.

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><p>AN: I am so glad that so many people like this story! Over 24 favorites, and 25 alerts, as well as eleven reviews! I will be continuing it, so no fear. Right now my computers not letting me go anywhere on the internet, so I have to use a friend's and I don't get to see them that much. Also, updates will be pretty sporadic anyway, because I'm working on six stories and my muse flits around between them as it wills, so I don't exactly have a steady stream of ideas.<p>

Speaking of ideas, if anyone has something they'd like to see written, just let me know!

I hope everyone likes this, and please don't forget to review!

~Sayanora!


	3. The Broom, The Cloak, and the Alchemist

Chapter Three – The Broom, The Cloak, and the Alchemist

**Playing with Fire**

Shortly before Halloween, Wrath suddenly felt the urge to bang his head up against a wall. Somehow, in both his not-glee (because he didn't _do_ glee) and in the chaos that followed the arrival of his fellows, he had completely forgotten about the Philosopher's Stone now hidden in the depths of the castle. Snarling silently at his complete idiocy and unknowingly scaring a group of second years, Wrath stormed off to his office.

In the next few days, the Sins saw a rapid increase in the number of month-long detentions they received from an irate Wrath for such things being in his presence and looking in his direction, no matter that they were always given while they were in class with him. Of course, after he stormed off to go bother his other students, the Sins would share a smirk. After all, Wrath's 'anger' was a sure sign something _interesting_ was going to happen.

In fact, the next few weeks would see a dramatic decrease in the amount of pranks wreaking havoc on the school, as the Sins were constructing a plan to grab the Stone. And immediately after retrieving it, the Sins lengthened the reprieve in their joy. Surprisingly, or maybe not, no one would ever realize that the real stone was taken, as Dumbledore was fooled by the fake, and Quirrel destroyed it in his attempts to retrieve it.

**Hiding in Plain Sight**

Dumbledore was in a quandary. Technically, Harry deserved to have this memento of his father returned to him. On the other hand, Harry was a _Slytherin. _After waffling for a few minutes, Dumbledore finally decided to give Harry the cloak, as he _was_ making friends with those outside his house, even making friends with a Muggleborn!

Envy, on the other hand, was quite annoyed that the old codger had _anything_ that was rightfully his. However, Envy decided to temporarily put off murdering the geezer, as he had just been given the single most awesomest object _ever, _in all the history of prankdom_._ Which was a truth that all of the Sins could agree wholeheartedly with.

**Up in the Air**

The wizarding version of flight was not something that agreed with the Sins. This was largely tied to the fact that it felt highly unnatural to trust a cleaning implement to keep them up in the air. Despite this, they all share a mutual love of Quidditch, and are willing to put up with riding a cleaning implement to play. Of course, they also each have a favorite position.

Sloth, unsurprisingly, is best suited for Beater, along with the little more surprising Gluttony. Sloth, of course, still has his immense strength, and Gluttony has discovered a love of beating things over the head – be it with her intelligence or a staff.

Pride is the perfect Keeper, as he takes it quite personally, almost as if it were a slight against his own pride, should a Catcher so much as think that they could get a Quaffle past him.

The Greeds and Lust, however, take it as a personal affront if anyone_but _them scores, which not only makes they some of the best Chasers the world has ever seen, but also that Pride only rarely has to worry about anyone else having the Quaffle.

Envy, however, beat them all as the fastest and most single-minded Seeker, _ever_. Largely due to his love of speed, and his ability to shift his weight in his favor as needed, Envy was absolutely devastating on the Pitch. In fact, the majority of his opponents were left feeling like he had been toying with them rather than playing.

Wrath, however, just wondered how the others would react if he asked them to become an official team – with him as the manager.

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><p>AN: Well, here is the next chapter! I am dedicating this to zanthian123, because you gave me the best idea for the first section. And for everybody else, I hope that this doesn't disappoint!<p>

Please don't forget to review!

~Sayanora!

PS: Here's an Omake for you, my faithful readers!

**Omake – Father **

Elsewhere, deep within a cold dark prison, surrounded by several feet of cold concrete and wards thick enough to be walls, a man woke up. He wasn't sure what awoke him, because he was alone, and his children were dead and gone, so far gone.

Or were they?

Turning inward, he saw, in a dark corner of his mind, covered with dust and spiderwebs from disuse and inattention, a sevenfold connection had lit up and begun to glow. A sevenfold connection that went straight to his children, his sins.

And deep in that dark prison, Gellert Grindlewald laughed in maniacal joy.


	4. Of Year Ends and House Elves

Chapter Four - Of year-ends and house elves

**Train Rides**

The school-aged Sins sat in relative silence on the train ride back to London, as none of them wanted to face the fact of their upcoming separation. However, that silence was broken by Sloth, who, oddly enough, turned to Envy and asked him what he was doing that summer.

At Sloth's question, all activities ceased. This includes the fierce Exploding Snap game going on between the Greeds, Gluttony, and Lust, and even the wizarding chess pieces laid out between Envy and Pride fell silent. As one, the rest of the Sins turned to look at Envy.

Envy, in response, glared back, before sighing loudly and responding. "I think I shall be traveling. Because despite what that senile Bumblebee wants to think about me returning to my horrid family, I wouldn't return if someone paid me. Why?"

Sloth shrugged, trying to remember why he'd asked. "Well," he responded slowly, "I was wondering if you'd like to come visit. Well, not just you but everybody."

As one, all the Sins nodded in understanding. With that simple question, though, the floodgates had been opened.

The Greeds answered next, talking about the pranks they had been planning to test out, but that they'd be sure to visit between test stages.

Lust mumbled something about Snornack hunting and crazy fathers, before declaring that she _would _be visiting.

Gluttony and Pride, however, made no promises. Gluttony because she knew her parents were taking her somewhere, and Pride because he had no idea what Lucius had planned for the summer.

Envy, of course, promises nothing either, merely saying he'd try, and that at the very least he'd be in contact through the communication mirrors Wrath had given them the night before they left Hogwarts.

**Dobby**

Dobby the house elf was very confused. Here he was on his self-proclaimed (and very against the rules) mission to protect the Great Harry Potter, but the Great Harry Potter was nowhere to be found. He wasn't with his family or any of his friends, or, in fact, anywhere in England. Dobby had thought he had felt the Great Harry Potter in the Magical Nation of Shang-ri-la in Tibet, and in the Magical Islands of Danu Talis, but when Dobby went to these places to warn the Great Harry Potter, the Great Harry Potter was no where to be seen.

In the end, Dobby never did find the Great Harry Potter, and was forced to wait for September first when he could be sure the he could stop the Great Harry Potter from going to Hogwarts.

**Barriers**

Dobby the house elf was no longer confused. No, now he was past confused, and if he spent the time to think about it he would have said that he was extremely bewildered. Not that he was currently sparing a thought for how he was feeling. No, right now he was wondering how the hell the Great Harry Potter was sitting in the Great Hall, right next to Little Master Malfoy who Dobby was supposed to be checking up on.

After all, Dobby had not seen the Great Harry Potter even attempt to get on the train, nor had he felt the Great Harry Potter be repulsed by the magik he had woven over the barrier to ensure that the Great Harry Potter's magical signature could not pass through.

Unbeknownst to Dobby, who was currently having a minor mental breakdown, Harry Potter had not gotten on the Hogwarts Express. Envy's saving grace which allowed him to get on the train is two-fold - his paranoia and his ability to shapeshift.

After the attention he had received last year (not all of it favorable), Envy had decided to get there very early. And in disguise. So, as Platform 9 and 3/4 opened at exactly 9 am Envy was on the train by 9:01. Luckily for him, his disguise, which consisted of becoming Pride's clone, not only changed his looks, but also his magical signature. (Which happened every time he changed his shape, not that he knew that.)

So, unaware of Dobby and his meltdown, Envy tucked into dinner. Unfortunately, he was also unaware of Dobby's renewed desire to protect the Great Harry Potter - that is, after Dobby finished having a meltdown.

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><p>AN: Do love Dobby. And yes we will be seeing more of him and his hero worship from his and Envy's point of view since I am following the books. However, the bludger incident will be different, since none of them play Quidditch.<p>

Also, for everyone who asked, I did the omake for a reason. Yes, _as it was_ it could have fit into the chapter. However, I'm still unsure of its place in the story's timeline, so it's omake status signals that. That doesn't make it any less a part of the "real" story timeline, because it is! Just be patient and all be explained. Continuing with that thought, anon, Grinwald is Father.

Anyway I hope every one likes this chapter, and please don't forget to review!

~Sayanora!


	5. Sparkle

Chapter Five - Sparkle

**Fop**

Lockhart was universally disliked by the Sins. Between his obnoxious boasting at every opportunity, his unsolicited "help", and his blatantly faked books… well, suffice it to say the Sins had plans.

It starts, as all great plans do, by getting to know the enemy in its natural habitat. So, they go to class. The Greeds go first, because they are in their fourth year, and their schedule has always had Defense as one of their first classes. Then Lust and Gluttony, whose class with the second year Gryffindors gets to deal with pixies.

They all, after just one class, are ready to prank him without end for the rest of the year, although Lust does advocate for a quick emasculation because of the pixies. But after Envy, Pride, and Sloth's class, the rest of the Sins have to talk Envy down from immediately going back to the classroom he'd been dragged from by Sloth and murdering Lockhart in cold blood. Because, not only does the idiotic fop have an unhealthy fascination with _Harry Potter,_ he is mind-bogglingly stupid. While he apparently _had _learned from Lust's _reaction _to the pixie fiasco, he decided that he instead should reenact his lying rags, and use Envy as a prop.

Even after Envy nearly cracked the fop's skull open during the werewolf reenactment in the first class.

Then again, during the Banshee fight a week later.

And the Yeti hunt a month after that.

But the Sins were cunning and patient. (After all, revenge in a dish best served cold.) After that first class, they all decided pranking him wouldn't be enough. Not that they weren't going to prank him anyway, but now they were going to do _more_. Like reveal him to the world as the fraud he was. His death after that was optional.

**Death Day**

The Sins enjoyed Halloween. Not only was it the holiday of pranks, which they put to great effect by giving Lockhart a semi-permanent harelip and neon green skin – to go with his blindingly blue afro and kill-me-now neon orange and yellow robes – but it was also a chance to load up on sweets, much to Wrath's chagrin.

And they were very glad that this Halloween wasn't ... interrupted by things they had to ... take care of.

Because, really Mrs. Norris didn't count.

**Warning**

Dobby was very worried about the Great Harry Potter. The Great Harry Potter was still in Hogwarts, and the Bad Master's Plan was already starting, and Dobby hadn't been able to warn the Great Harry Potter yet!

He couldn't even find a way to be able to warn the Great Harry Potter, because the Great Harry Potter never gave him any chances to do so! Dobby couldn't cause a Quidditch accident because the Great Harry Potter didn't play on his House team or go to any of the games. Dobby couldn't just cause a regular accident because the Great Harry Potter was rarely alone, and even though Dobby was a Very Bad Elf, he wouldn't purposely harm any of the Great Harry Potter's friends, _especially _not Little Master. Even when the Great Harry Potter was alone, the Great Harry Potter always managed to avoid anything Dobby had set up. And Dobby could not just appear to the Great Harry Potter, because the dorms of Hogwarts blocked all outside elves.

Dobby was almost at the end of his rope, because he _had _to warn the Great Harry Potter, no matter how much he had to punish himself for it later.

**Ghosts of Hogwarts's Past**

The ghosts of Hogwarts have an odd relationship with the Sins. Oh, the Sins have never done anything to threaten the ghosts, but they have this aura around them that makes most of the ghosts wary. Because of this, very few ghosts go anywhere near them.

There are two notable exceptions to that. For one, Peeves is overjoyed at the amount of pranking they all do and has, on more than one occasion, acted as a gleeful scapegoat. He didn't mind taking the blame for the Sins' antics, because they are the only people in the entire castle who actually _listen _to him. They don't yell at him or threaten to remove him from the castle and existence entirely, and when he makes suggestions, they actually take the time to see if they can work his idea into any of their many pranks.

For that, he refuses to fear them.

The second, however, is a little more odd. It is probably the least known ghost in the entire castle, largely because it haunts the smallest, most out of the way girl's bathroom that has no signs designating it, that sometimes occupies one of two equally barren hallways, although it does occasionally haunt the pipes as well. Her name is Myrtle. In fact, it is because she haunts the pipes that she meets the Sins, whom she thinks are the nicest livings she's ever met. (Never mind that they were in the middle of pranking the prefect's bath when she'd popped up, or that she hadn't really talked to anyone since she had died.)

After all, they never insulted her, and when someone flushes a book through her head, they are all (well, Lust and Envy, at least) properly sympathetic, even asking where the book is so that they can take care of the owner.

But most importantly, they ask her how she died.

**Fragment**

When Lust and Envy bring Wrath the diary and the story of a dead girl, he isn't quite sure what to do. He had known that the Dark Lord had pursued several methods of immortality, but to see that the man had started so young with the creation of a Horocrux was disturbing. Although, not as disturbing as the fact that Envy could hear the Basilisk moving through the walls, as the two Sins had discovered. Not to mention the thought of how the rest of the school would react should they learn of it.

In the end, Wrath just sighed and locked away the Diary, wondering all the while how the rest of the Sins would take his Christmas plans.

AN: Ok, so this chapter basically takes place up to just before Christmas break. I know that Ginny doesn't get rid of the Diary that quickly in canon, but in my mind - and therefore my fanon - after Collin gets petrified, Ginny freaks out and gets rid of it, because it _is _talking back to her when she writes and her dad does mention don't trust anything if you can't see it's brain. However, Lockhart still needs dealing with, but not until after February (And yes, Killroy225, they are going to screw him over _so _badly - I just have to figure out _what _they're doing, because they won't be satisfied with a simple mind wipe. Rita might need to get involved.) And, of course, Dobby's still going to try to save Harry, because he doesn't know that Harry's not in danger anymore.

Also, I have a BETA! Skyflyte12 is going through all of my stories inbetween school and life, and I will eventually be posting the edited chapters of this story, once she gets there.

Please don't forget to review!

~Sayonora!


	6. Pair of Ones

Chapter Six - Pair of Ones

**Spelunking **

When the rest of the Sins hear Wrath's plans to explore Hogwarts system of pipes, the reactions are... mixed. Lust and Envy, both already part of the plan, have no reason to disagree. Gluttony, having been informed of the purpose of the exploration by Lust, followed Lust's lead. Pride, on the other hand, is the most vocal and vehement in his refusal, as he will _not _go anywhere _near _the (probably) filthy pipes.

The Greeds, on the other hand, disagree for a different reason. After all, someone had to be a distraction. Pride readily agrees with them, and co-opts the decision from Sloth, who was dead to the world.

**Maladroit **

The Greeds kickstart Christmas by locking everyone in the Great Hall during breakfast.

Once the teachers finally get the doors open, the pranking really begins. As each person walks through the doors, some aspect of their appearance changes. For some, it is hair or skin colour, or the addition of extra limbs or eyes. For others, it is more animal in nature, such as McGonagall being forced into a human sized version of her animagus form.

From there, it is a free-for-all.

Going up the certain staircases removes the changes, but others trigger any number of outlandish pranks. Entering any of the Common Rooms brings back any of the changes that disappeared along the way. Of course, everything disappears when victims leave the Common Rooms.

By the time lunch rolls around, everyone is holed up in their Common Rooms hoping that they can avoid any more pranks as the house-elves deliver thankfully prank-free food. This continues till dinner, when everyone hesitantly leaves in hopes of a peaceful Christmas dinner, as the elves, bribed by the Greeds, refuse to deliver.

**Pythia **

Meanwhile, Wrath is leading his "expedition" down into the pipes in the middle of Myrtle's bathroom. It should probably disturb him, the fact that Envy is looking so incredibly gleeful at the thought of meeting a gigantic snake that could kill with a glance, but Envy's obsession with snakes has long since stopped bothering him. (And he's definitely not thinking about how deeply disturbing it is that the entrance was in a girl's loo.)

Besides, it's not like anyone says a word when he pauses to admire (salivate over) the shed skin.

Eventually, the quartet reaches the end of the tunnel, stopping short of the miniature lake to stare up at a gigantic stone head. They stand there for a few seconds, before Envy takes an extra step forward and says something in parseltongue. Something that, for all Wrath knew, could have been "Here snakey-snakey-snakey." (It wasn't, but still.)

Of course, Wrath can't deny the shiver of dread that creeps down his spine when Envy throws his arms around the snake and practically screams, "She's my new best friend!" (Later, when he learns that the other Sins had felt it as well, he feels justified in telling them the Wizarding World was screwed. Well, at least more so than it had been before.)

**Profit**

The rest of the winter holidays were spent doing business. Namely, expanding their ventures in modernizing the Wizarding World, which they had largely been ignoring.

While Envy did spend a considerable amount of time with his "pet" snake, he and Gluttony still managed to put some time towards making various muggle electronics work with magic using runic arrays. The Greeds were concurrently expanding their mail-order catalogue for the pranks they _personally _made, and began looking into setting up a _real _store.

Wrath, Lust, and Pride, on the other hand, were doing what Pride called a deep cleaning of the Chamber, which pleased all parties involved. Pride, because he could throw cleaning spells with wild abandonment. Lust, because she had free reign with decorating the Chamber. And Wrath was happy because he was able to explore and acquire two more shed skins, several fangs that had also been shed, and crowningly, a book in Parseltongue that was written by a Slytherin that he was coercing Envy into translating.

To finish off the holiday, the further humiliation of Lockhart was planned. And Dobby, in his first truly useful attempt on Envy's health, managed to splash Basilisk venom on the dairy, and although it stains Wrath's desk even darker with its inky blood, all of the Sins are happy to see the half dissolved diary.

* * *

><p>AN: Ah, pets, what would we do without them? Also, a couple of snake references, let me know if you find them! (Prize: Free cyber cookies!)<p>

On a different note, sorry for the lateness? Before you kill me, two things to keep in mind. One, my computer died. Two, this story doesn't really have a guiding idea or even a general plot, besides following the books. But that's not really original.

Plus, the entire thing didn't want to be written. And it's not like anyone's been begging me to continue it, so...

Still, here it is! A nice shiny and new chapter! I hope everyone like it, and please don't forget to review!

~Ja ne!


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